CAD OF FINAL DESIGN

FINAL 3D CAD DEMONSTRATING ALL PARTS

Now that you have arrived at your final design solution, you need to communicate your idea clearly. Communicating a design idea in CAD is normally done in such a way that someone who may be manufacturing the product can understand multiple aspects of the design.

Some of the ways that you can enhance communication of your design idea include:

Using the 'versions' feature in OnShape to show progression
Exploded views
Showing the design from multiple angles
Zooming in on specific component parts
Assemblies (can also be animated)
Choosing different colours or materials to either provide clarity or show context
Showing your CAD in context ie: in relation to other objects or people
Visually demonstrating how your design may require some bought-in or standard components
Providing clear and concise explanations of all aspects of your design alongside the images.

Reminder of the mark scheme for this section:

Using versions in OnShape

It is a very good idea when working on your final design in OnShape to use the 'versions' tool if you have not already started to do this.

This can only be done at the start of a new OnShape file though, so if you are working in a file that you began in the development phase then you would need to begin it again and make changes for versions to work.

Exploded views

Exploded views can really help someone to understand your design, especially if there are multiple component parts. The exploded view should:

Show the components parts in the order they would be assembled in (ie: next to a part it fits into or next to)
Use colours or other visual clues if possible, to further enhance the information that is being conveyed.

Assemblies

Assemblies are the ideal way to show your final idea as you want it to look. This also demonstrates that all of your CAD works, and that component parts fit together.

Some tips:

Choose from a range of mate types to show relevant features such as parts sliding or rotating.
Take screenshots of multiple views of your assembly, to show it from a variety of angles
Animate your assembly, record, and embed into your slides to demonstrate functionality (see video below)

Clarity and context

Again, there are many things that you can do to enhance how you communicate your final design idea.

This might include:

Using colour or 'materials' (right click on a part in the 'parts list' on the left hand side, choose either 'edit appearance' for colour OR 'assign material')
Using the transparency feature to show the inside of parts
Showing designs in context (editing them into images of suitable backgrounds or alongside humans to show scale)
Zooming in on specific parts or 'magnifying' features
Providing good, clear annotations of how things work, possible materials and manufacturing techniques etc.

Exemplars: